Reviews (8)

KIds love it
I bought this on a whim because my children love dinosaurs right now (just like all kids I guess).It's become a bedtime favorite of theirs.
Great Book For Dinosaur Lovers.
My son loves these books.He laughs and giggles the whole way through.The fact that she puts all the names of the dinosaurs hidden in the pictures for the parents to see is great.It gives me an answer for the inevitable "what kind is that one, mom?"
Great book!
I was worried these board books wouldn't be as good as the large hard cover Dinosaur books, but they are just as charming. The illustrations are great. They are about half as long though. My 3 1/2 yr old loves all the Yolen dinosaur books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures    2. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    3. Children: Preschool    4. Concepts - General    5. Dinosaurs    6. Fiction    7. General    8. Health & Daily Living - Daily Activities    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Orderliness    11. Preschool Concepts    12. Stories in rhyme    13. Yolen, Jane    14. Juvenile Fiction / Concepts / General   

Reviews (11)

Fantastic insect key
I purchased this book mostly as an insect key. It is organized well, and has a very extensive key, easy to understand, and covers a broad spectrum. If you are interested in insect ID or collection, or just want some information about them, this is a great book to get. Depending on your interests, I would also recommend the "Forest Entomology, Ecology and Management" book written by Coulson & Witter.

Important for both biologists and non-biologists
Everything about insects is fascinating, and this book gives a comprehensive overview of their behavior, anatomy, and classification. For non-experts in entomology, such as this reviewer, the book provides the necessary background for further study. Topics such as the molecular genetics of insects and the genetic engineering of insects are not covered, but there are plenty of other books that treat these topics in detail. Only the first four chapters were read by this reviewer, but only chapter four will be discussed here.
Still an essential insect text despite a half-hearted update
Borror and Delong's weighty "Introduction to the Study of Insects" enters its 7th edition as the standard text for students of North American insect taxonomy. This latest edition is brought up to date by Charles Triplehorn and Norman Johnson after a 15 year gap.
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Subjects:  1. Entomology    2. Insects    3. Insects & Spiders    4. Life Sciences - Zoology - Entomology    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Science    8. United States    9. Science / Entomology   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (8)

Easy Read
This was very easy to read and extremely informative book.Couldn't put it down until I finished it.
John Lyons IS the best horse in the paddock!
As a professional horse trainer who lives her craft, I give John Lyons a TON of credit for making me the horsewoman I am today. John is known as America's Most Trusted Horseman and I'll take it a step further and call him the guy who writes THE how-to books on training. John's not a bells and whistles kind of guy, just one heck of a great trainer. If you purchase only one book on horse training, I suggest this reasonably priced book that beautiflly illustrates how John builds a foundation of trust and respect. If you are able to apply the basic principles illustrated, you will be able to improve any horse, regardless of age or experience - and I mean that for both you and your horse. The book features 20 progressive ground-work lessons to develop your horse into a reliable, accepting partner. I Give It 4 Hooves Up!

Good Book
I have this book and have used some of the things in it. It's not really what I need for my horse. She's two, really hyper, green and distracted. The instruction in the book is great. I just needed more of a detailed...do this, this might happen, fix it like this...book. I'm new at this. She's the first horse I've tried to train. I've been around horses for most of my life but training is alot different I'm learning. I have a new baby horse on the way though and I know this will be an invaluable resource for training her(or him). Along with Dr. Miller's Imprint Training. I would recommend this book. But I have really found alot of help in Clinton Anderson's new book. With all these books combined my horse and I are doing good and I know we'll both learn alot. It's a good book and valuable addition to anyone's library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Horses    3. Horses - Riding    4. Human-animal communication    5. Pets    6. Training    7. HORSES_TRAINING    8. Pets / Horses / Riding   

Reviews (142)

Great book for truth seekers!
This book is a great introduction to some of the major scientific challenges to the theory of Darwinian Evolution.
Does Evolution Rest Upon Scientific Evidence or a Philosophy of Naturalism?
Darwin on Trial was responsible for alerting many among the public and in the scientific community to the deficiencies of Darwinism. UC Berkeley law professor Phillip E. Johnson applies his skills as an analyzer of evidence to ask if Darwin's theory holds up to scrutiny.
Interesting presentation of creationist viewpoint
Were a plumber or an an auto mechanic to look for supernatural causes behind a pipe clog or engine problem, you might think his skills questionable.But according to this book, if a biologist is not willing to accept supernatural causes for the origin of species, he is imposing anti-religious views on the rest of us.As with most conservative thinkers, Johnson seems intent on splitting the country into two halves.Those who think like him are good and believe in God, those who do not are atheists who believe in evolution.While this has worked well for conservatives on political issues, it is less effective in this case since it is rather clear that many if not most of the scientists supporting evolution are Christians, not atheists as Johnson insists.It is one of many lapses in this poorly written and overrated book.His contention that the US is a Christian country which at best tolerates other religious viewpoints suggests that he looks on the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion as simply a suggestion.It also has nothing to do with evolutionary theory and everything to do with the author's own prejudices.Johnson feels that any unexplained gap in evolution supports the theory of an intelligent designer by default.For Johnson, if the theory of evolution cannot shed like on everything instantly, it sheds light on nothing.The author feels that as a Christian it is inappropriate to tolerate any suggestion of a natural explanation for creation of the universe, creation of the earth, or the creation of man.Johnson's view seems to be that certain things related to Christian theology should be off limits to ANY sort of scientific examination.In spite of the failings of the author, the publisher has presented the book well.The physical quality is quite good and belies the sloppiness of the writing.I am not sure if this is the best place to get an understanding of the thinking behind the anti-evolution movement but I think it is a good place to start.I suspect the muddled and misguided presentation of the author is endemic to this type of book.It is also an outgrowth of the book's basic conceit, that a lawyer can provide objective insights into science.In fact, scientists may pretend to objectivity but lawyers specialize in advocacy and this book presents a lawyer at his worst.He misreads evolutionary theory as meaningless.In fact it provides a predictive model.Organisms are the sum total of both ancestral characteristics and those variations which permit the organism to function and survive within its environment. It is a fundamental point that gives the theory its strength, something which Johnson either does not understand or choses to ignore.Unfortunately, there is no voice to correct him.If Johnson proves anything, it is that when he is permitted to provide the defense, he can win any prosecution.Putting a dead man on trial with no voice raised in his defense: this must be an attorney's dream come true. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Evolution (Biology)    2. Life Sciences - Evolution    3. Philosophy    4. Religion    5. Science    6. Evolution    7. Philosophy of religion   

Reviews (3)

The Military and Police Sniper by Mike Lau
This is an outstanding book jammed with information for both the novice and master shooter alike. I constantly review sections though I read the book a few years ago.Subjects include what makes a rifle a precision weapon, ammunition, optics, position, the difference between military and police sniping, etc. It's definately a keeper.

The Military and Police Sniper
I would reccomend this for the learning sniper.

Excellent book on this subject
If you are a person who has an interest in Military and Police sniping you must read this book. Together with the book written by Major John L. Plaster 'The Ultimate Sniper'this book offers a good insight in how things work and how things are done to function as a sniper. A lot of practical tips are added in this book. As you go through the book you understand how much the author 'Michael Lau' knows about the subject and how much experience he has in the subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    2. Political Science    3. Politics/International Relations    4. Shooting   

Reviews (3)

Difficult to Read
Well there is no doubt that this book contains a large amount of information, it CANNOT be used as an introductory text.It is much to difficult to comprehend, and Wetzel makes absolutely no effort to teach the concepts.Here merely presents a synthesis of limnological research.

Good as a Limnology Primer
This is an excellent general reference text. Can not say enough about the excellent content of this text. But it is need of an edition update with information for lake mapping and restoration.Dr. C.L. Nelson of St. CloudState University, St. Cloud, MN has an excellent small text on physicallimnology for the mapping aspect. This book does do an excellent job on thebiological aspects of limnological work.

My view of the Wetzel's limnology book
The book contains a lot of information related to lakes. It�s a complete work about the conditions on this systems. Include a study about the performance of the ionic particles in this systems. It�s a suitable bookfor students like me, to understand the freshwater ecology. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Lakes & Ponds    2. Life Sciences - Biology - Marine Biology    3. Life Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems    4. Limnology    5. Rivers    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Freshwater biology, limnology    9. Hydrology (freshwater)    10. Technology / Fisheries & Aquaculture   

Reviews (2)

One of the Classic's
Once and awhile a book comes along that touches your senses and raises your emotions, FISH is just such a book. Flick Ford's beautiful watercolors of the 77 fish species are the best since S.F.Denton did his over 100 years ago. These complimented by the moving and lighthearted text of Dean Travis Clarke as well as Peter Kaminsky's introduction make this book sure to be a timeless classic. It's the type of book the reader can pick up at any time and turning to any page leave ourselves to go to that place inside that brings us all the peace we experience streamside, casting into a rolling surf, or trolling a pattern offshore. FISH is a perfect book, and anyone who even remotely loves the sport of angling or appreciates these amazing creatures should have a copy in their library and one wrapped as a gift for that special angling friend.

Absolutely Stunning -- a fantastic book
Earlier this week I received my copy of FISH: 77 Great Fish of North America and I am absolutely amazed.It is a superb book, beautifully written with stunning artwork.I rarely purchase what I would consider "coffee-table" or collector-type books, but I am extremely pleased with this book.I have spent several wonderful hours going through it -- and enjoyed it immensely. It will be a treasured book in my library and reminds me a great deal of the early James Audubon bird books. For any dedicated angler or fish enthusiast it is a "must-have." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fish    2. Fish Culture (General)    3. Nature    4. Nature/Ecology    5. ART / Subjects & Themes / Plants & Animals    6. Nature / Fish   

Reviews (69)

Saudi fields are maturing
This book is very repetitive and too long, but it does contains a lot of useful information about oil fields and the complex business of getting the oil out. From the facts laid out in this book there is little doubt that Saudi oil fields are maturing with years of dependence on massive water injection and in recent years horizontal drilling to maintain high production rates.The production curves included in the book for eight large fields oil fields outside Saudi Arabia, including Prudhoe Bay Alaska, are sobering.Clearly there is some risk that in the not too distant future Saudi oil production will begin to decline.
Good Book, Needs Editing and Polishing
The message in this book is right on--Saudi Arabia is probably not as flush with oil as the world thinks it is.Simmons' thesis is a sound one and he defends it well.
Saudi Oil
A great deal of technical information that was a little overpowering at times. Never the less it makes it's case compellingly and logically. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economic History    5. Forecasting    6. General    7. Industries - Energy Industries    8. Petroleum industry and trade    9. Petroleum reserves    10. Saudi Arabia    11. Business & Economics / General    12. International economics    13. Management of land & natural resources    14. Petroleum & oil industries   

Reviews (7)

What else can on say
Magnificent piece of work by the authors (scholars)! Incredible!It is about time such a compilation was put together. The significance of insects, and natural selection cannot be understated! To bad we will not be around in the near future but insects will.Enough said a must have in one's library.

Evolution has an inordinate fondness for insects
What organism has a loss of musculature in the antenna beyond the scape, possesses the Johnston's Organ, and for females the presence of an ovipositor formed by gonapophyses? The answer is an organism that seems to have the favor of evolutionary pressures for over 400 million years which has produced about 5,000, 000 species of insects that are alive today. The authors of this book estimate that perhaps 100 million species have existed at various points in this evolutionary timescale. Even if you are not an entomophile, even if you were never tempted to create a butterfly collection, and even if bee and ant stings, pesky cockroaches, and devastating grasshoppers cause you to believe that humans are better off without insects, this literary and scientific masterpiece will give you a deep appreciation for how the most successful life forms on the planet have evolved over the past 400 million years. Written for the professional entomologist and serious students of entomology, with some perseverance and discipline, along with a sizeable block in time, any reader who is interested in the subject matter can gain immensely from a reading of this book. Everything about insects is fascinating, and one could spend a lifetime for example just studying the evolution of one particular order of insects. For readers (such as this reviewer) who are not experts in entomology it is helpful to photocopy the glossary while reading the book, in order to have the important terminology readily available without having to constantly flip to the back of the book. There are hundreds of facts in the book that are fascinating and surprising. A small sampling of these include:
The story of insects
An excellent review ot the evolution of insects, with numerous line drawings and photographs. Well written and comprehensive. This book is not for casual reading, but would be indespensible for persons with a serious interest in the evolution of insects. The size of the book is quite large. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Evolution    2. Insects    3. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Insects (entomology)    7. Science / Life Sciences / Zoology / Invertebrates   

Reviews (16)

Crocs Rule and So Does This Book!
If you're an avid viewer of "The Crocodile Hunter", as I am, than this book is a must have.True, much of the information in can be picked up from the show.However, I actually enjoyed reading about Steve and Terri's adventures a bit more than watching them.You learn more about their families and what motivates them.After reading the book, I've developed a desire to learn more about wildlife conservation and what part I can play in it.I would highly recommend this book for any animal lover or Crocodile Hunter fan.

Entertaining, but too darned short!
To millions around the world, Steve Irwin is known as "the Crocodile Hunter," thanks to his wildly popular series on Animal Planet.To millions more, he's known as "that crazy Australian guy."THE CROCODILE HUNTER, a book by Steve and Terri Irwin, won't change anyone's mind about Steve's sanity, nor will it provide new insight into the man and his adventures for those already intimately familiar with his television exploits.THE CROCODILE HUNTER will, however, provide a few hours of distraction from the tube and more leisurely exploration of Steve and Terri's usual talking points about wildlife conservation. adventurers tend not to be introspective
disappointing. a short work. steve's life is presented in little more than outline depth. while atriculate on tv, doesn't transfer to the written page.Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Dangerous animals    7. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    8. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Television Personalities    9. Herpetologists    10. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    11. Scientists - General    12. Wildlife    13. Zoology    14. Nature / General   

Reviews (10)

Christo
If there is one book that you need to read than this is it. Get your feet in the mud and find out who you really are. This book changed my life. Gave me the empowerment to throw off the chains of being dependent on paying alot of money for a basic need: good housing. Now I've embarked on a path of creativity, to build a house that is healthy, and will suit all my needs. My thanks are great!

Stunning AND the Absolute Last Word in Cob Info
I spent hours and hours with this beautiful and entertaining book, and I was only barely interested in Cob! This book is absolutely terrific, it is wonderfully and beautifully illustrated, includes color photos of some great cob houses, and is absolutely THE book you need if you want to learn about cob, or build your own cob structure. It is a wonderful balance of fun, personal stories, expertise, and technical info. (And really very inclusive too!) I read both Becky's and then this book. It really made me comfortable with cobbing because it is so well done, so inclusive and informative. A testimonial: Some time after reading this book over and over, we decided that cob was not appropriate for our site, and I STILL recently picked up this book for a good read!

Simply gorgeous!
First, it's fun just to browse through the gorgeous homes and creations in this book.Second, cob is well researched and documented here, for instance, did you know there are cob homes in Devonshire England that are over 400 years old?Third, this is a remarkably practical handbook for siting, designing, and building a home from cob.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Architecture    3. Cob (Building material)    4. Design & Construction    5. Design & Drafting    6. Design and construction    7. Do-It-Yourself - General    8. Earth houses    9. Home Improvement / Construction    10. Applied ecology    11. Building construction & materials    12. Building skills   

Editorial Review

You know the saying: Give a man (or woman) a fish, and you give him dinner; teach a man (or woman) to fish and he'll have dinner for the rest of his life. The always entertaining and instructional "... for Dummies" series reeled in witty outdoors writer Peter Kaminsky to keep the rest of us fed--as in food for the table and food for thought--with this step-by-step guide to pretty much every right and obtuse angle on angling. As with all the books in the series, Read more

Reviews (15)

Only A Good Book for the Absolute Beginner--not a reference
While I am usually quite pleased with the "for dummies" type of books because they are truly a "reference for the rest of us," this one does not deliver on the latter promise. While it is fun to readand easy to understand, I learned nothing from reading this and I am only a casual fisherman at best, going on what my dad taught me over 25 years ago when I was just a boy. I think if you had no idea what you were doing at all this might be a good "get started" book, but if you know what a rod and reel are and how they work, how hooks and lines are gauged and how to hook your bait, I don't think this book will teach you very much. It also introduces a lot of new things to the beginner (such as telling you what the basic types of lures are), but tells you nothing in terms of tips for catching fish any better with these items.
the basics
This book will teach you the basics and answer some questions that you might have had about fishing. This is a good reference book that goes into enough detail to get anyone started fishing.

Really enjoyed it!
This was a great read. Learned a lot. Excellent for any beginner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fishing    2. Fishing - General    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Fishing, angling    6. Sports & Recreation / Fishing   

Reviews (3)

Stunning Photos!
Of course, everyone loves the feisty, peppy hummingbird with it's glorious colors.This book shows details that the average birdwatcher never sees.The close up photos, some in action sequence, are a delight and there are pictures even showing the nests made of cobwebs, feathers and lichens.
Unbelievable photography
This book conains the most amazing photography imaginable (the authors' companion book Hummingbirds of the Caribbean is just as wonderful).Dazzling colors and awesome stopped-action shots. I can't imagine how it was done.

Highest praise
The wife and husband team of Esther and Robert Tyrrell logged over 30,000 miles of travel to photograph and document the 16 species of North American hummingbirds.Using his own special high-speed strobe techniques, Roberthas photographed the tiny colorful birds in a variety of activities flying,perching, and nesting.The book contains over 200 amazing photographs,reproduced in dazzling color.In her text, Esther has culled informationfrom hundreds of sources and provides a comprehensive and well-writtenoverview of the birds' anatomy and behaviors.A must for any bird lover! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Birds    2. Birds & Birdwatching - General    3. Hummingbirds    4. Individual Species Of Birds    5. Nature / Field Guide Books    6. Nature/Ecology    7. North America    8. Nature / Birds & Birdwatching   

Reviews (7)

you can't find an alternative.
when i was a student, i used to think, like many other reviewers, that the book is extremely dry. but now as a researcher in atmospheric-oceanic dynamics, i realise that the book is useful in explaining the most essential and elementary theories behind the dynamics one can encounter in meteorology or climate dynamics.
An Underrated Text
This book, often simply referred to as "Holton", has been roundly cursed by undergraduates since it was first published. I know, because I was one of them.However, as the years went by, and as the number of classes requiring Holton as a text went by, I realized two things.First, that this book was not meant to hold your hand through all the derivations.It requires a competent instructor who can use Holton as a detailed companion to rigorous coursework.This book is NOT for the average person who wishes to study alone.The second thing is that this book was written to fill a gap.There were no similar atmospheric dynamics texts.As a consequence, it must cover a large amount of material in a rather small, college textbook-sized space.It does this well.Yes, the author's writing style is dry to the extreme, and yes, physical explanations are often lacking.However, if you have access to a competent professor, neither of these are problems.One final thought... as we call the book simply "Holton" remember that Frankenstein's monster is often called simply "Frankenstein", but we will leave comparisons to the reader - and to the author!

Paramount
Useful introduction to dynamic meteorology.Covers many fundamental concepts and concisely.It is not a good fluid dynamics book.It is developed for the atmospheric scientist.It contains an exceptional chapter on waves.Also, there are some elementary concepts related to stratospheric dynamics and general circulation that are very well-written. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dynamic meteorology    2. Earth Sciences - General    3. Earth Sciences - Meteorology & Climatology    4. General    5. Physics    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Meteorology    9. Science / Earth Sciences   

Reviews (30)

Regional but excellent
Definitely a regional book.If you travel in N. Georgia up to New England, this is a must-have guide.The black and white line drawings do aid in identifying plants having structure and shape as the defining characteristic because light and shade of color do not come into play as they might in photos.As in birding, the preference for either photos or drawings is an individual one and, until Newcomb's landed in my library, I used photo guides for wildflowers but preferred drawn guides (like Peterson's) for birds.This is the book that changed my mind on that point.
Newcomb's Wildflower Guide
Two types of flower-identification books are available, those that use pure pattern recognition and those that require you to look at the flower. Pattern recognition books usually have pretty pictures of flowers arranged by color and then require you to search many pages to find one that looks like your flower. Newcomb's takes an alternative approach; it requires that you actually look at the flower. The key system is simple to use; for example, how many petals does it have, do the leaves alternate or are they on opposite sides of the stem, is it an herb, bush, or vine, etc. Only after narrowing down the possibilities extensively do you arrive at the pattern recognition stage and have only a few possibilities from which to choose. I have methodically found the names of several different flowers that I could not find even after exhaustive searches of other books. The book is not filled with pretty pictures, it is filled with information and excellent, simple line art.

Great Guide
If all the drawings in this book were in color, then this book would be hard to beat.I love this guide, but sometimes I have to reference a book with color pictures to be certain of an identification. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Climbing plants    2. Flowers    3. General    4. Identification    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Northeastern States    8. Shrubs    9. Wild flowers    10. Nature / General    11. Trees & wildflowers   

Reviews (3)

ARare Textbook!
Molles "Ecology: Concepts and Applications" is a rare textbook for three reasons: Great for non-technical study
This book is the first science text I have ever encountered which I enjoy reading.It generally takes the form of a series of stories which the author deftly uses to illustrate ecological concepts.It's not technical enough for a serious ecology student, but I hope that many people read it to gain an appreciation for ecology without encountering some the fanaticism which had previously turned me away from the subject entirely.Thanks.

Great for non ecology major students
Molles has outdone himself with this book.It presents the reader a greatbook for students who are not majoring in ecology and a great way tounderstand ecology and the different field works done in the area.Thetables and organization are great.I speacially like the way the authormakes a subject easy to understand and the way the tables and pictures helpyou to understand.It's a great book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Life Sciences - Ecology    3. Nature/Ecology    4. Science    5. Applied ecology    6. Ecological science, the Biosphere    7. Human ecology    8. Science / Ecology   

Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Effect of human beings on    3. Environmental Engineering & Technology    4. Environmental sciences    5. Human Ecology    6. Life Sciences - Ecology    7. Nature    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Ecological science, the Biosphere    11. Science / Meteorology   

Reviews (10)

Sky & Telescope's Pocket Atlas is now my FIRST reference
Having had it for two star parties now, it's become my favorite reference.
S&K and Sinnott Trump All Other's With New User Friendly Astral Guide!
S&K's new Pocket Sky Atlas is the triumphal culmination of years of research and thoughtful formatting work. Quite simply, it represents the easiest to use "at the scope" guide yet available. I highly recommend this work for the neophyte star gazer, as well as the most seasoned amateur astronomer.

Wouldn't want to go out with out it
There are two small atlases I consider to be absolutely indispensable.Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is one of them.The charts in this atlas were well chosen.Each covers just the right amount of sky to give both a good perspective of the area you are looking at, and enough detail for star hopping with binoculars or finder scope, (stars are shown down to magnitude 7.6).Stick figures highlight the constellations to provide an easy and intuitive reference for what part of the sky the chart covers.An all sky view key of the charts is provided at the back of the book so that charts are easily located.The charts are well organized and very easy to navigate.
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Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Star Guides    3. Science    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Star Observation   

Reviews (55)

I'd go elesewhere for a broader view of energy issues
The title of this book is a good summery of their views.Most if not all of what the authors have to say is true and much of it interesting. They talk a lot about computers and how they will make cars more efficient and even about one author's theory about how life began.Th